Job Description

Food Service General Manager – Lead with Purpose in School Nutrition!
School Dining Leadership

Are you a food service leader who’s passionate about people, operations, and purpose? Join our school nutrition team as a Food Service General Manager and take the lead in a mission-driven kitchen that fuels young minds and futures.

What You’ll Do:

• Inspire and lead the food service team to deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to students and staff

• Oversee all aspects of daily operations: scheduling, inventory, compliance, and food safety

• Partner with school staff to ensure meals support student health, learning, and well-being

• Ensure compliance with state and federal child nutrition program guidelines (NSLP, SBP, etc.)

• Manage budgets, staffing, vendor relationships, and performance goals

• Foster a positive, student-centered, and inclusive kitchen culture

We’re Looking For:

• 3–5 years of experience in food service management (K–12 or institutional preferred)

• Strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills

• Knowledge of USDA school meal guidelines and food safety regulations

• A hands-on leader who builds strong teams and models accountability

• ServSafe certification (or ability to obtain)

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary + performance bonus opportunities

• Family-friendly schedule – no nights or weekends

• Health, dental, and vision benefits

• Paid holidays, time off, and 401K with company match

• A chance to shape a food program that supports learning, growth, and equity

About Us:

At Whitsons, we believe that every school meal is an opportunity to fuel success. As our General Manager, you’ll lead a team dedicated to serving nutritious, student-approved meals with care, efficiency, and pride. Your leadership will help create a kitchen that’s more than a workplace—it’s a hub of health, learning, and community.

Apply now and bring your leadership to the lunch line— at Whitsons our mission is Enhancing Life One Meal at a Time™.

Pay: $1,530-$1,655 per week

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent educational experience, with academic major or concentration in food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business, or a related field. OR
• Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent educational experience, with any academic major or area of concentration, and either a state recognized certificate for school nutrition directors or at least 1 year of relevant food service experience. OR
• Associates degree or equivalent educational experience with academic major or concentration in food and nutrition, food service
  management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business or a related field AND at least one year of relevant school nutrition programs experience. OR
• High School diploma or GED AND at least three (3) years experience in school nutrition programs.

Certifications:

• ServSafe Mandatory

Computer Skills:

• Proficiency in all Microsoft Office applications is required.
• Must be able to communicate electronically through use of email and other similar computer platforms.
• Able to learn new programs easily and quickly.

Other Qualifications, Experience:

• 3 years’ experience in Food Service Management as a Manager/Director required.
• Minimum 1 year experience in K‐12 programs required. Strong interest in school nutrition program development.
• Culinary background is required ‐ Must have a passion and an interest in food
• Working knowledge of cooking procedures and recipe adherence and scaling.
• Must have demonstrated experience developing talent and managing multiple priorities
• Must be able to use “critical thinking” skills in order to resolve problems or would result in improving program overall.
• Ability to effectively communicate verbally, electronically and written with clients, parents, students and support staff.
• Must possess excellent time management and organizational skills

Required Competencies:

• Communication
  
  • Effectively write, present and transfer ideas and information for the advancement of individual and company performance
• Customer Focus
  
  • Act in the best interest of the customer, both internal and external.
• Innovation
  
  • Create new ideas, processes or products which when implemented lead to positive effective change.
• Organization Leadership
  
  • Apply strategic thinking, prioritization and decision-making to drive results.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE JOB:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the team member is frequently required sit, walk, talk and hear
• Use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms.
• Be standing on feet majority of the workday in addition to walking back and forth.
• Lift and/or move up to 40 pounds. Lifting while turning side to side is sometimes necessary.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus.

Work Schedule

Approx. 6am-3pm, 45 hours per week, occasional evening events. Follows school district calendar

Salary Target

$1,530-$1,655/week